Understood, but well... you mention UFO Extraterrestrial and Star Chamber. Yes, we released those - they're both outstanding games too and both have tactics and strategies much deeper than you find in most mainstream titles these days. However, during the last year we also released several wargames:

Close Combat Cross of Iron Battlefront Forge of Freedom A World Divided Panzer Command Harpoon 3 Conquest of the Aegean TOAW III

In addition to those, there are the re-distributed wargames such as Legion Arena, Chariots of War, Blitzkrieg, For Liberty and Birth of America. We bring those on not just to make a buck, but to make sure our customers are aware of them (when we find a good game, we generally try to get it into our catalog somehow). While many gamers are aware of all that's out there, many are not and these are more "informational" releases frankly than any kind of cash cow.

Finally, there was one Sci Fi game - Starshatter The Gathering Storm. So I think that ratio is a pretty good one as far as original development vs. already released games and wargames vs. sci-fi titles. Of the previously unreleased wargames (I'll exclude CC COI and TOAW III - even though they are heavily updated, they are still updated versions of previous releases), four were turn-based covering three different scales and two were real-time, covering naval and land warfare. TOAW III revitalized that series with a much improved product thanks to additional new development and CC: COI has done much the same.

While I understand EIA is tremendously delayed at this point, it's not like we've been sitting on our duffs and releasing only sci-fi games.

I can also say that I know that up until I got a little less involved, Marshall was working very hard on this, as he has been for some time and he had the support of a dedicated group of testers who you've also seen post here. With the cooperation and progress I saw behind the scenes in 2006, I would be optimistic despite the delays.

With all respect most of the below are re releases (or recycling of another game's engine see FoF), which need considerably less effort than developing new games. COTA rocks and there is continous support for games close to my heart like UV and WitP, which makes you an absolutely non-average company but pasternaksi has a good point here. Among all of the riches the focus seens to have been lost.

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ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

Close Combat Cross of Iron Battlefront Forge of Freedom A World Divided Panzer Command Harpoon 3 Conquest of the Aegean TOAW III

ORIGINAL: Ursa MAior With all respect most of the below are re releases (or recycling of another game's engine see FoF), which need considerably less effort than developing new games. COTA rocks and there is continous support for games close to my heart like UV and WitP, which makes you an absolutely non-average company but pasternaksi has a good point here. Among all of the riches the focus seens to have been lost.

All the riches? My goodness, if only...

I disagree regarding most being re-releases. CC:COI and TOAW III definitely re-releases and stated as such, but with significant improvements. Personally, while TOAW III _is_ a re-release, as a TOAW fan for me it's as significant as any previous major TOAW release simply because of the AI improvements. AWD and H3 are sequels with major additional development and in both cases are significantly improved over the previous release in the series. When a developer puts an additional year+ of development into an engine, such that players of the "prequel" would only play the new release, it's really no longer a re-release.

FOF is absolutely a new release. If you've played both COG and FOF you'll see just how many changes there are, it's a different game entirely in many more ways than the change of subject. In fact, the amount of work packed into FOF is about equal to two other releases combined from what I've seen. If FOF is a re-release then COTA would have to be too, which I disagree with - it's a major step forward for that series. Battlefront deliberately was designed to look like the DB series and share things in common with it to ease the learning curve, but it is much different in reality as far as the new scale, new features, off-board areas, etc. and is definitely a new step for SSG rather than any kind of re-release. Panzer Command is a brand new 3D tactical engine, built and funded from the ground up.

Pasternakski's point, as I saw it, was that we were moving away from fulfilling our mission of providing quality wargames towards more mainstream/sci-fi titles. I don't see how that point holds water. Whether you consider each wargame release to be "brand new" or not, the line-up is a very solid one and far outweighs any non-wargame releases.

Thank you for your candor, Erik. I want you to know that I remain a staunch supporter of Matrix, but I just wonder sometimes ... I hope no one thinks I am just wandering around muttering a death song for the Myrmidons.

As someone who is now retired from, among other things, running two successful small businesses, all I can say is that there is no substitute for maintaining the loyalty of those customers who helped you get out of the red and into the black in the first place.

With that, I've pretty much said everything on this subject I have to say, and, although I appreciate the courteous response, I have read nothing here that allays my concerns.

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Put my faith in the people And the people let me down. So, I turned the other way, And I carry on anyhow.

If you make a mistake and sombody tells you about it and then you lose time to correct it- would you blame the guy(s) who told you about your bad design ?

It's hard to say it was a bad design without having played it during that stage. I don't know what the game would have been like without TMR. Remember, this is not a direct port of EiA. Perhaps it would have been just fine without TMR, but we did clamor for it, and they responded. I see your points, but I prefer to be supportive and to stay positive.

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"The creative combination lays bare the presumption of a lie." -- Lasker

So what it seems to boil down to is a quality product in a timely manner. My question is how do you balance that? After all, many on this forum have stated they want a quality product that is reasonably free of bugs, requires few patches, and is enjoyable to play. Yet development and testing take time. We understand this and stated we are willing to wait, but we also want it in a timely manner. How long should it take to develop and play test this game? Five years does seem to be longer than it should take, especially with improved technology over the last 2 years. Thus the frustration of many on this forum who have waited many years for it's release, let alone any update on its progress thus far.

ORIGINAL: krak Thank you Erik for your reply. It is good to finally get a comment from a Matrix official about the state of this situation. Any findings you may be able to report would be most welcome by all I would imagine.

I've just been following this thread intermittently. Im an old board gamer who has looked forward to this game. I owned, but never played, the AH EiA.

What is MEia and TMR, please? I hear you, I'm looking into it.

If the game really is in it's final stages of development, almost ready to release, it makes sense that Matrix would stop taking suggestions. The biggest single delay they've had with MEiA was when they were very far along, and then decided to go back and redesign it to include TMR, which many long-time EiA fans lobbied intensly for. So really, it's our fan community that has done as much to hold this game up as anything.

Refrigerator - NEW DESIGN! - self-defrosting, only needs occasional manual defrosting. KEEPS FOOD COLD - except when it doesn't, but we will probably fix that when it happens. MAY TURN OUT TO BE A TOASTER OVEN IN ACTUAL USE.

MODIFIABLE BY USER - in which case it likely won't work worth a sh1t.

No warranty is offered with this product, but we appreciate your support when it turns out to be completely f#cked up.

Experience with previous products from this company inapplicable.

DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME. Your experience may vary.

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Put my faith in the people And the people let me down. So, I turned the other way, And I carry on anyhow.

ORIGINAL: Ursa MAior Damn those pessimists! Full speed ahead! Fourth to the above.

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ORIGINAL: Windfire Always willing to wait for a good product.

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ORIGINAL: Camile Desmoulins But I think that Marshall don't need support, he knows that is making a good job. The people are impatient, but the game will be good and then he close many mouths. Camille

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ORIGINAL: kylenapoleon keep up the excellent work, and lets have a game that is fun and challenging to play

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ORIGINAL: rhondabrwn I'll be waiting... and then I'll be buying. Take your time and don't feel forced to deliver a product prematurely.

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ORIGINAL: abj9562 In the words of Michangelo to the Pope while painting the sistine chapel "It will be done when it's done!"

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ORIGINAL: ktotwf I'm just so happy the game is actually coming out. Its actually coming out!!! I didn't believe it for quite some time. So, yeah, Marshall deserves praise for not giving up. All this bitterness is misplaced. For some reason alot of people on this forum feel they are entitled to everything they want, which is ridiculous.

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ORIGINAL: pasternakski

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ORIGINAL: Hard Sarge has anyone seen the work that Marshall has done ? I think he is doing a very good job

I agree.

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ORIGINAL: pasternakski Oh. Rhonda is right - when it comes out, if you like it, buy it. If not, don't. I will just add, as a former waiter, "The customer is always right, but be a customer, not a pain in the @$$, or I'll kick you out of my restaurant."

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ORIGINAL: SamuraiProgrammer ALL HAIL MARSHALL'S COURAGE

So now --- TO THE WHINERS OUT THERE --- you know who you are

QUIT PISSING IN THE SOUP!!!!!!

IF YOU KEEP THIS UP, NO GAME COMPANY WILL EVER DO A GOOD WARGAME AGAIN!!!!!!

If you want that to happen, just keep it up.

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ORIGINAL: SamuraiProgrammer To whom it may concern - you know who you are: I have been lurking on this forum for a long time. The only commitment that Matrix made to anyone was that they are working on this game. No one (to my knowledge) has given matrix money and been denied this product. The only thing they have done is to keep us informed about the status of an ongoing product. In the old days, big companies like IBM never told anyone anything until a product was finished. Then no one could give input into what was needed or how it should work. This company has been accepting input and apparently found some major things that needed fixing. They are fixing it. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE stop villifying them for opening the creation process to the people who have the experience to know what is right and wrong about EIA. The game will come out when the game comes out.

Because of their openness, I am sure it will be a better game. So what if it is a little slower. So what if we don't get it when we want it. Life is like that sometimes. As you get older (and a little more mature, I might add), you will find that the good things in life are worth waiting for. Instant gratification is usually over instantly too. If I may be so bold, Go play your nintendo and quit yer bitchin'

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ORIGINAL: gazfun Keep up the good work Marshall

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ORIGINAL: Ursa MAior Yeah I also recall reading about cEiA under development in 2000. Thanks Marshall. Keep up the good work, and dont let yourself rushed! Even by us!

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ORIGINAL: pzgndr I have the utmost respect for all these individual developers and I've learned to be patient. Very patient. No point screaming at a bottle of fine wine and hoping it ages any faster than it does.

Just checking in on a reality check. Rutins you said you were trying to get an update for us on this game, but its been awhile, where is it? Instead of replying to all the BS on this forum about this wargame or that, why dont we get just a simple update on the status of this game?

I dont understand why a simple statement on where EIA stands in development is so difficult to provide?????

"Crisis is the rallying cry of the tyrant" -- James Madison "Yes, you will win most battles, but if you loose to me you will loose oh so badly that it causes me pain (chortle) just to think of it" - P. Khan